26.9.14

Points for being original? Thom Browne decided that looking natural and taking a minimalist approach to makeup on the runway was too boring so to shake it up models walked down the runway meant to look like marble statues with badminton birdies on their heads, because, why not? Fashion week ladies and gents, not for the faint of heart.

25.9.14

The new Adidas Original ad features pop star Rita Ora and is said to be aimed at her fans, the "Ritabots". The creative agency behind the ad is "The Upside" and the ad itself is visually appealing. It is becoming quite clear that although Nike features its ads on the strength of everyday athletes, Adidas continues to be cutting edge and a platform for emerging artists, especially those in the hip-hop and R&B communities. So next time you go into the shop will Rita sway you to pick up a pair of Adidas or will you stick with the Nike trainers?

24.9.14

Costa, Pret, Eat, repeat. Sure my original voyages to London
included these shops because they are everywhere, but soon I began to hear
about all of the independent cafes London had to offer. As I was researching my
new hood, Kentish Town, I made my way over to Tufnell Park and saw the very
cool logo of what I discovered to be Bear + Wolf, the “kid-friendly café”. Don’t
let it fool you though, the kid-friendly atmosphere guarantees a parade of
adorable children on the weekend with their super stylish parents and loads of
cute children-approved options of the very chic café menu items and seriously
good juices and smoothies!

Located at 153 Fortress Road in Tufnell Park, there is a great children’s play area near the back of the café
and there is a huge wooden table right at the front to enjoy some sun and meet
some new friends. Overall the vibe of the café is what brings me back each
weekend and it has become a part of my Sunday morning ritual.

23.9.14

"Hiya Barbie" "Hi Ken!" "Wanna go for a ride?" "Sure Ken!" "Hop in!" VROOOM........For the Moschino Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear Jeremy Scott takes kitchy pop culture references to another level and basically updated my Barbie pyjamas from childhood. The point of this collection is fun. Reading reviews for the show I soon realized that even the most high-brow editors have to give in to the fun of the circus that is Jeremy Scott for Moschino. Instead of McDonalds French Fries, Barbie's Dream Wardrobe comes with a iPhone case in the shape of a brush and is perfect for taking selfies. My iPhone collection is getting a bit expensive. Jeremy Scott was interviewed after the show by Style.com and revealed:

"Like every girl and gay boy, I loved Barbie," Scott said backstage afterward, sporting a "Moschino for Ages 5 and Over" T-shirt. "It's hard not to; she's practically perfect," he went on. "She's a good big sister, she's had every job in the world, worn every outfit. And it's just joyful. Her and I share the same things: We just want to bring joy to people."

21.9.14

Simon Harrison may not
at first ring any bells but perhaps names like Ted Baker, Vivienne Westwood,
and Karen Millen are ones that you are more familiar with. If there is only one
thing you take away from this entire piece let it be that the world of costume
jewellery has never been in better hands than it is with the genius that is Simon Harrison.

You know the feeling you get when you watch Project
Runway and you get to see the garments from beginning to end: the moment they
sketch a beautiful design, nail it when they pick the perfect fabric at MOOD,
and then send a piece of art down the runway? I got to experience that first
hand when I was invited to walk around the Simon Harrison HQ and I'm telling
you, I've never been so inspired in my life.

“Simon Harrison’s deepest motivation and enjoyment of
jewellery, he says, is intuitive and archetypal; not so very different from
primitive man’s impulse to wear a beautiful shell around his neck. Jewellery,
he believes, should be life-enhancing: an expression of personality.”

A good sign of delicate
craftsmanship will always stand out in a piece and it is what I think always
makes a piece of jewellery so unique and usually is the reason why I'll buy it.
This is what really spoke to me about all of the pieces I saw while visiting
the showroom. Each had the most unique details and every piece was calling for
me to pick up, try on, play with, and dress up! The other tell-a-tale sign of a
quality piece of costume jewellery is the weight, yes I know we are living in a
time of delicate necklaces and bracelets but these are costume pieces made to
help you make a grand entrance at your next party so believe me when I say
these pieces carry some serious weight (which is a good thing). Hand sculpted
glass eyes on frog pins and masks are just one of the unique touches that make
the pieces true works of art. Each piece felt luxurious and as if it was meant
to be worn on a runway, in an editorial, or at a gala. Tres chic!

I was very lucky to see
such amazing pieces, each more beautiful then the next, however it was the
stories behind each which really stayed with me after I left the showroom.
Inspiration does comes from everywhere and there were tons of great muses from
Greek mythology, Shakespeare, and Simon's youth.

Perhaps one of the
standout collections for me was the Romeo and Juliet line. A story I've loved since I was young myself, I was
immediately drawn to the pieces and imagined myself wearing the beautiful
necklaces around Verona. This is the beauty of each piece: they have the
ability to transport you when you see them. That is what I believe true
artistry is: these artists have the ability to create pieces that transcend
this realm and help you escape from the norm.

19.9.14

Well, lets be honest, nothing should shock you about Jeremy Scott's collections by now but this is
just great. For his namesake collection for Spring 2015, which is meant to be inspired by rich sun-kissed girls having fun with their friends on an island of raves (also known as Ibiza), Jeremy Scott decided to create the perfect Halloween sweater we've all been waiting for (read: sarcasm). Fun fact: Miley Cyrus designed the accessories for this collection. Check out Style.com because if there is one thing you do today, its seeing those accessories, and I'm going to let you guess whether or not I liked them. He always has a good laugh with fashion and that is something I can respect.

17.9.14

Made in Chelsea alum Millie Mackintosh always had a clear direction during and past her reality television stint, she began dabbling in creating and selling beauty products, and although her makeup game is on point, whats always had Millie on my radar is the way she dresses and styles herself.

Capitalizing on her legions of style stalkers, Millie has finally released a collection: 40-pieces including tops, dresses, jumpsuits, separates, and of course beauty.

Millie has said the launch is a dream come true and I can't wait to add some pieces to my wardrobe.

16.9.14

I must admit, I don't usually go into Body Shop for beauty products but I am so glad I did because I have discovered one of the best bronzers I've ever used. If you are new to Valley of the Dolls Blog you should know one thing about me: the only makeup I wear day-to-day is bronzer and mascara, so I consider myself an expert in both of those categories.

Back to the miracle bronzer, it is a bronzing face gel, I've only ever used powder-based bronzer but I believe that this is gel is revolutionary for three reasons: 1) even coverage all over my face, 2) although the gel appears to be heavy once applied it is quite light, 3) it lasts all day. If that isn't the holy trinity of a perfect bronzer I don't know what is!

12.9.14

She thinks Brooklyn is the new Silicon Valley, she would "never ever wear" head-to-toe black, she thinks Oliver Twist is the literary figure that has most influenced designers, she hates horoscopes, her favourite food is avocado, she confirms that all rumours about her are true, and she has never taken a selfie.